SYDNEY: One of Australia’s most-decorated soldiers will remain in prison after his lawyers did not apply for bail on Wednesday, a day after he was charged with war crimes.

Former Special Air Services officer Ben Roberts-Smith was charged with murdering unarmed prisoners captured in Afghanistan, following a sweeping war crimes probe.

The 47-year-old spent the night in a Sydney jail and his lawyer told an online bail court on Wednesday he would not seek an application for release, instead requesting an appearance at the city’s major courthouse. The case was adjourned to June.

Roberts-Smith, a distinguished soldier awarded Australia’s highest military honour for his efforts fighting insurgents, is facing five counts of “war crime-murder”. They incl­u­­ded one “actual offence”, one “joint commission to an offence”, and three counts of aiding or abetting a murder.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026